Scoreboard software vs hardware scoreboard systems
Software on the screen you own, or a tied system
Hardware scoreboard systems are a real category: display, controller, cabling, and software that belongs to that line. They fit new builds, multi-face boards, or a tender that specifies a certified stack. That is a capex project, not a subscription on a PC.
Software-only scoreboard control starts from the screen already installed. ArenaCue runs on Windows 10/11, outputs HDMI or DisplayPort to LED, TV, projector or videowall, and keeps score, sponsors and proof-of-play on one desk. Large venues sometimes buy a full manufacturer stack — the controller-and-board package a name like Daktronics stands for. That is a different purchase from software that drives the screen you already own.
Choose on lock-in and staffing, not on which product printed “professional” on the box. If you already have a 16:9 picture surface and one operator, software is the shorter path. If you are building a new stadium package with multiple boards and a fixed control room, a hardware system can be the better fit. ArenaCue does not claim that second job.
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No payment card needed. Works with the screen you already have. Then €99 per month excl. VAT, cancel any month.
What you buy — and what you can replace later
On a manufacturer stack, display and control belong together. Parts, firmware and the console come from the same line. With ArenaCue the screen is your installer's; the control layer is a Windows app. Swap the LED, or take a projector to an away venue, without buying a new console.
- Software: any 16:9 screen with HDMI or DisplayPort
- Hardware system: typically the same manufacturer’s board
- Two Windows activations for the matchday PC and a spare
- LED boarding for the perimeter is a separate ArenaCue product, not a required bundle
One operator versus a console that lives with the board
Hardware consoles are trained and stay with the install. Clubs and municipal halls usually have someone with a laptop. ArenaCue keeps score, clock, visuals and sponsor rotation in one panel — the same desk as on the professional page, without a second person for the media loop.
Sponsors are rarely inside the hardware console
Many manufacturer installs split score and media: the board counts, a separate player runs slides. ArenaCue schedules seconds per sponsor per phase, pauses on match events, and exports proof-of-play. That is the commercial layer that makes local packages sellable.
When a hardware system is the honest winner
New builds with multiple boards, a fixed control room, and a specification that names one vendor: a manufacturer stack is often the fair choice. ArenaCue wins when the screen is already there, the crew is one person, and you want inventory plus reporting without a capex project. Software-side price: €99 per month excl. VAT, cancellable in the portal.
ArenaCue software-only vs manufacturer hardware systems
| ArenaCue (software-only) | Manufacturer hardware systems | |
|---|---|---|
| What you purchase | Windows scoreboard subscription, two activations | Board, controller, cabling and vendor software |
| Display | The LED, TV, projector or videowall already installed | Typically the manufacturer’s own scoreboard |
| Control hardware | A standard matchday PC (HDMI / DisplayPort) | A controller tied to that hardware line |
| Replacement path | Any 16:9 screen the venue already owns | Parts and software from the same manufacturer |
| Operator | One person on a familiar Windows desk | A console trained and kept with the board |
| Sponsor inventory | Phase budgets, rotation and proof-of-play | Often a separate media player or static loop |
| Matchday network | Local app; public Wi-Fi can fail | Vendor link or dedicated controller network |
| Best fit | Venues that already have a picture surface | New-build packages and multi-board control rooms |
| Commercial model | €99/month excl. VAT, cancel in the portal | Capital project plus service contracts |
Scoreboard software vs hardware FAQ
- Is ArenaCue a replacement for a manufacturer scoreboard?
- No if you still need to buy the physical board. Yes as the control layer: ArenaCue drives the 16:9 screen already installed. A hardware system remains the logical choice for new builds or multiple tied boards.
- Will this work with our existing LED screen?
- If the screen accepts HDMI or DisplayPort and can show 16:9, that is the usual path. ArenaCue does not sell LED panels or controllers. Request a demo with your signal path.
- Does the match keep running without the manufacturer network?
- Yes. The app runs locally on the matchday PC. Licence checks are periodic and online. You are not tied to a vendor controller link to keep the clock moving.
- What does software-only cost versus a hardware project?
- ArenaCue Scoreboard is €99 per month excl. VAT for the full package, two activations, cancellable monthly. A manufacturer stack is capex plus maintenance — a different budget line, not a one-to-one price comparison.
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Start from the screen already in the venue
Request a demo if your LED, TV or projector is already installed. Software-only control from €99 per month excl. VAT — without a new hardware project.
Scoreboard software · Professional scoreboard software · LED stadium scoreboard setup